Should
The word plagues us. We wear it under the surface and let it itch and badger, stealing our peace. Guilt and shame complete the outfit. Should makes it difficult to take in the present fully. It impedes engaging in and enjoying the moment with gratefulness. Life’s priorities pull at us from all directions: jobs, kids, meal prep, cleaning, maintenance, volunteer services, friends & family relationships, and time with Jesus. Should is the nagging authority figure harshly reprimanding us for the way we are wasting our time. We are often left feeling harassed and without enough time to do anything well. Surely there’s a better way.
“Be enamored with me and I will produce life-giving deeds from you.” It’s the answer I hear from the Lord lately whenever I ask Him what he wants from me. It shouldn’t surprise us. Scripture calls us to Abide in Him, Seek Him First, Love Him with All our heart, soul, mind and strength. Great promises follow every one of these exhortations. It’s simple. Prefer Him. Be captivated by Him. Continue to be present with Him. Prioritize Him. But if it’s so simple, why do we find it so difficult?
Could it be unbelief? Hang with me through the offensiveness of my suggestion. There’s freedom on the other side. Think about these promises: all your needs met, a fruitful life, perfect peace, and the desires of your heart fulfilled (Matthew 6:33, John 15:4, Isaiah 26:3, Psalm 37:4). If we really believed that Preferring and Prioritizing Him would result in these, wouldn’t we do whatever it took to make it happen? Do I believe it? Do You? Out of the overflow of your belief system, your life behaves.
If you are hesitating right now, you’re probably in one of two camps: the unbelieving or the overwhelmed. The person who doesn’t believe is of the opinion that their current priorities have more to offer than His do. They may be absolutely doubting the promises of scripture, running head-long into the pursuits common to men. Or, they may be half-believing: buying into the hard news of the gospel, while not fully believing that the sacrifices that need to be made will be worth it. To them I would say, I’ve been there. The path to where I am is the harder one and I’d rather spare you that piece of the journey.
To the overwhelmed I bring a message of grace. His promises are universal; they are as much for you as for the monk on a remote mountaintop. This prioritizing is more a mindset and heart posture than a specific set of activities. I remember the tension when my kids were little, and I was trying to manage a career and a household. In an attempt to prioritize Him, I gave Him the choicest time of my day: their naptime. A thousand other tasks and loves called my name, but I drew my line in the sand. It wasn’t that I had arrived at prioritizing Him fully, but it was my first baby step in believing He would be true to His promises. Our part is the baby steps. His is faithfulness to His promise that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. These cultivate in us an appetite for preferring Him.
Should. We can continue to live that way if we choose: a thousand shoulds tugging at our consciences, no peace, feeling overwhelmed and under-performing. Or, we can ditch the shoulds and have ONE MUST. I MUST Prefer, Prioritize and Constantly be Present with Him, believing everything else in my life will flow out of that priority. One baby step at a time. It’s the better way.
